Homesick
by Lil'Conqueror
Summary: With Enzo about to lose his grip on his own humanity, in steps someone he least expects. Will it be enough to pull him back from the edge or will the weight of his lost love blind him from reality? (5x19; Man On Fire)


**A\N: **My take on how things should have went with Enzo at the bar in 5x19. Slight spoiler alert if you haven't already seen the episode. **You've been warned! **

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There were a million things happening in the moment that Damon had confessed about killing Maggie. More than half of those things were trying to wrap their head around the idea that Damon could do such a thing to him. But every conclusion, every idea that formed around the idea of putting him in his place was gone within seconds of the notion.

"You wanna kill me, you wanna hate me, do it. This is between us." Damon deadpanned, his blue eyes never once leaving his own.

Kill him?

Hate him?

Enzo was unable to even contemplate either of those things. This was Damon Salvatore. In the five years they were held hostage together, he was the only friend he'd had since he compelled Maggie to leave. They went through hell together and now that they were finally reunited, he couldn't understand how Damon could say such things.

Even over the matter of the one woman who meant anything to him.

Tears threatened to spill from his eyes as he tried to form words.

"That's the problem, Damon. I don't want to hate you." He began, his voice cracking under the emotional toll that was being taken from trying to get out what he needed to say. "Because if I hate you, then I have _nothing_ left."

But the fact of the matter was, even after all he'd said, Maggie was still left dead. And where did that leave him? What about their friendship? Glancing behind him, he gave Elena a piercing gaze.

She inhaled sharply and stared back at him. As if already seeing the gears turning in Enzo's head, Damon took a cautious step forward.

"Listen to me, Enzo-"

"I'm done listening to you." He hissed, his eyes narrowing as he felt his fangs begin to protrude from his gums.

However, before he could open in mouth to rip a menacing snarl from his throat, he was successfully shoved back into the nearest wall and pinned down by the last person he expected to see here.

"Then maybe you'll listen to me." Caroline spoke through gritted teeth, forcing the veins beneath her striking eyes to recede.

Momentarily at lost for words, Enzo could only stare down at the blonde vampire in shock, his breath leaving him altogether. How could this girl get past his unseeing eyes to make it this close to him? How had she thwarted him?

Without wasting time, Caroline flicked her gaze over her shoulder briefly.

"Get them out of here. Leave him to me."

Enzo was silent as Damon rushed to untie Stefan and Elena and with vampiric speed, all three were gone in a heartbeat. Giving them another minute, Caroline slowly started to ease off the older vampire. Upon seeing his chance, Enzo grabbed Caroline by the throat and shoved her against the wall. Instinctively, she clawed at his wrist to release her but all was in vain as he tightened his hold around her neck.

Cocking his head to the side, he asked, "You think you're pretty clever eh, Blondie?"

"I-I know what happened-" She choked out, visibly flinching as his hold grew stronger.

He scoffed. "How could you possibly know anything? You're just as ignorant as the lot of them."

His accent was heavy with uncontrolled rage and yet, Caroline could only soften her gaze as she stared back at him, seemingly unfazed by his attitude. Enzo glared at her and after debating if he should rip her throat out or not, he released her.

Caroline coughed and grabbed her neck, trying to find her breath as she assessed him half bent over. His back was to her and even from their distance, she could see him visibly shaking.

Sighing under her breath, Caroline righted herself and spoke with a low murmur, "Believe it or not, I do know how you're feeling."

Spinning on his heel, he glowered at her and spat, "You have _no _idea-"

"But I do." She interrupted sharply, narrowing her eyes slightly. "You're not the only one who lost someone by a friend. And now that I think about it, it actually was because of Damon."

Quickly, she shook her head. "I mean, for different reasons, but still."

Enzo snorted and made his way to the bar to pour himself a generous helping of bourbon. Caroline followed suit.

"It was this guy named Jesse. He'd been forcefully turned into a vampire by Wes, trying to create the almighty Ripper Virus." She began before stopping and realizing this might not have been the best topic to talk about with Enzo.

Seeing her hesitation, he gestured with his drink, "And was this _Jesse _someone of importance to you?"

Caroline laughed halfheartedly.

"We kissed if that's what you're talking about." Sighing, she looked down at her hands. "He was human when we met. It was college, he was human, I was going through a bit of a rough patch with my boyfriend at the time-"

"Lockwood?" Enzo guessed, pulling up a seat beside her and grabbing a glass.

She nodded mutely, accepting the drink.

"Jesse was my normalcy in this chaotic life we all seem to be living in. With the little time we spent together, he made me feel like another college girl just trying to pass her next exam." She smiled at the memory that seemed to be forming in her mind about the deceased man and seeing her weak smile, Enzo sighed.

After a moment of silence, he asked, "How did it happen?"

"The Ripper Virus. He went after Damon, almost overpowered him." Inhaling deeply, she swiped at her face to rid herself of the tears she could feel forming. "I know _why_ she did it, I understand it was to _protect_ him, but my little piece of normalcy was gone."

Turning to him, Caroline placed a comforting hand on his thigh, ignoring the small skip of her heart as she did so.

"You want to turn it off, don't you? You won't to forget it was ever your friend who betrayed you because you can't handle the truth." He could hear the tears in her voice as she spoke, the light flicker of doubt behind her stunning blue eyes caught his breath, and he could only sit there and listen. "But the truth is, Enzo, we all do things to protect those we love and ourselves. I'm not saying what Damon did was right. God knows that I'm not leading his nonexistent fan club."

She smiled again and squeezed his thigh reassuringly.

"But we've all done one thing or another that we're not proud of today. You've told me that you wanted to thank Maggie for all she'd done for you emotionally, but I don't think you needed to. I think she knew all along how you felt about her and what you guys went through together. I'm so sorry about what happened, truly I am. But I need you to know, you're not alone anymore. You don't have to deal with this by yourself-"

"Why?"

Having been quiet the entire time, Caroline was momentarily lost for words when Enzo spoke up. His voice, not a notch above a whisper broke her train of thought and she immediately withdrew her hand. Simultaneously, he snapped his hand out and grabbed her wrist gently.

"Why should I trust a word you say?"

Caroline sighed once more and shook her head, her blonde locks moving softly against her face.

Images of a certain Original flashed in and out of her mind and she caught herself smiling despite herself.

"You remind me so much of someone I knew." She commented absentmindedly, running her thumb against his wrist.

Enzo chuckled. "I do hope that's a good thing."

Almost laughing, Caroline quickly caught herself and shook her head. Turning to look back at him, she said, "I believe you're a good person, Enzo. Maybe a little irritating with your snide comments you never seem to keep to yourself, that and how big of a pervert you are..." She trailed off, smirking.

Enzo's brown eyes flashed wickedly. "Watch yourself, sweetheart, I'm still out for blood."

It was meant to be a joke, all in good humor, but Caroline sobered quickly and she caught herself frowning. Realizing what he said a moment too late, Enzo dropped her hand he hadn't known he'd still been holding and averted his gaze.

"You wouldn't hurt me." She stated, her tone slightly more confident than she felt.

"Oh, wouldn't I?"

She shook her head. "'Course not, we're _friends_."

Not meaning to offend, Enzo ended up laughing and faced her again.

"Oh really? I wasn't aware." He smiled slightly, just a small twist of the corner of his lips, but it was a smile nonetheless.

"I'm actually offended." She gasped, putting on a front. "I'm good people. Admit it, you like me!"

It was just a careless comment that was thrown offhandedly but the fact of the matter was, it was out there, bared and ready to be noticed.

Friends?

Good people?

Having to admit any of this let alone liking the feisty bombshell was more than just hard to swallow. During his time in captivity, it had only been him. Him and the occasional visit by the one woman he thought he could see himself being with. Eventually, she was no more and then came Damon. They had been friends, brothers' even. That time had come and gone like the one before it. And here he stood, _years _later and in enters Caroline Forbes. The one woman he didn't mind having around next to his love for Maggie. She was good company, easy on the eyes, and fun to be around. He could joke with her, make _perverted _comments to her; it was so simple to be in her presence.

Dare he even say it, he actually enjoyed her. And true to her words, they did have something in common; a past they both could share.

Suddenly, his resolve hardened and he leaned towards her. Surprised, Caroline visibly tensed.

"You're right, _Caroline_." The way he'd spoken her name sent a pleasurable shiver down her spine. "I do like you. And hopefully in another life, we will meet again."

Furrowing her brow, she wanted to ask what he'd meant but before she could get a word out, his lips found hers in a simple yet sincere kiss. Eyes wide in shock, she was unable to do anything before he moved back and winked.

"Now I'll always have something to remember you by." And without warning, he grabbed her face with both hands and with a final lift of his lips at a failed attempt of a smile, he applied enough pressure too snap her neck without batting an eye.

Catching her before she fell, he hoisted her up bridal style and carried her up the stairs to a sofa that rested against the far wall. He laid her down gently and brushed a few strands of golden hair from her face. Enzo smiled sadly and stroked her cheek with soft fingers.

"I hope you can forgive a selfish bastard such as myself. I don't think I would very much like if you hated me, too."

Closing his eyes, he exhaled slowly. The gears in his head were turning and when he reopened them, veins began to protrude from beneath his eyes. The last thing he saw before darkness overcame his heart, was a smiling young woman who reached out her hand for him to take.


End file.
